Trolling spoon



April 1e, 1940. L. J. @FINGER 2,197,209

TROLLING SPOON Filed Jan. 25, i939 Snventor l, auf: JT .5ba/N651?.

E o l /l/ 4 i Gttornegs .patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT @FHCE 'raoLLING SPOON Louis J. Eppinger, Detroit, Mich. f "Application January 23, 1939, seri-a1 No.l 252,342

1 claim.v (o1. 43-42) This invention relates generally to fishing tackle and more particularly to trolling spoons. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved trolling spoon of a character such that iish will be less likely to get oi of the hook. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved trolling spoon having a hook arranged for release froma xedvposition to a l0 dangling position with respect to the spoon and to provide an article of this character which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken f in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichy Figure i is a top plan View of myimproved trolling spoon; Fig. 2 is a view taken longitudinally of the spoon shown partly in section and partly in elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail View in section, taken alo-ng the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detail View in section taken along the line ifi-i of Fig. l, and Y,

Fig. 5 is a view takenalong the line` and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the numeral I S designates in general an elongated spoon having an upper concave surface and a lower convex surface. Intermediate its ends, the spoon i@ is provided with oppositely directed, laterally positioned extended portions IIhaving upstanding ears l2, and from the extended portions II, the side edgesof the spoon taper, converging to a front rounded end I3, the rear end i4 of the spoon being rounded and larger than the front end of the spoon. In each of the upstanding ears i2, an aperture is provided for loosely receiving the shank of a sh hook i5 havingy on its inner end an eyel I6 sufciently larger than the aperture inthe earI II such that it will not pass therethrough.

vided for releasably holding the hooks I6 inwardly to the spoon Iii and may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper concave surface of the spoon. The clip Il is located forward of A releasable, friction retainer clip I'I is prothe spoon extended portions I I so that the hooksy rear end portion of the clip is ree of the spoon and is provided with a downwardly directed] 10 indentation 22 adapted to position in an eye 22ak of a hook 23 which extends loosely through an aperture the rear end I@ of the spoon Iii.

When a fish gets on anyone of thevhooks and exerts sufficient pull it will be seen that the 15 hook will be released from its spring clip and will slip through its aperture in the spoon. This movement of the clip relative to the spoon will be limited by the eye of the hook and upony engagement with the spoon at the aperture will 20 jar the fish, sinking the hook deeper and more stantial to push against to release the hook.

It will thus be seen that the bent in ears I2 cause the sh lure to jump sidewise when given a slight jerk. When reeled inin the ordinaryv 30 `fashion, the lure has a fast wiggling sidewise motion, but when reeled rapidly, or4 jerked slightly, it has quite a kick sidewise--the lure being off balance. The direction of lthe kick is no doubt caused by whichever bent ear is down.- 35

What I claim is:

In a device of the character described, an elongated spoon havingan upper convex surface and having oppositely directed extendedportions at the sides thereof, a pair of hooks loosely extending through apertures in respective extended portions and having eyes on, their inner ends larger than said apertures, a clip member secured -to said spoon intermediate the front end thereof andthe extended portions, said clip member 45 frictionally and rele-asably engagingl said eyes to hold said hooks to said spoon, an attachment member secured to said spoon between said .clip member and the vrear end of said -spoonfand a hook member loosely extending through an aper- 50 ture in the rear end of said spoon member and having an eye. larger vthan said aperture and frictionally and releasably held to said spoon by said attachment member.

LOUIS J. EJPPIivofEia.` 

